…urge NIWA to set standards for boat construction, enforcement, inspection
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has directed the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to set standards for boat construction, licensing boat builders, conducting annual inspections to ensure sea worthiness; and step up enforcement and establish training centres across the country to educate boat operators.
The House also called on the Nigerian Navy being charged in its policing water mandate as Coastal Guard on Nigerian Waters, Coastal and International Waters, to set up a Command in River Niger flank of Niger state.
The lawmakers Further urged HYPERDEC and NIWA to ensure procurement of Life jackets Floaters for all Water passengers and Enforcement condition on all Waterways Operators.
Theses resolutions was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance on Boat Accident Involving 300 Persons In Gbajibo, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, by Rep. Joshua Gana on Tuesday at plenary.
Rep. Gana noted that no fewer than 80 bodies have been recovered, 74 dead, 6 alive with 200 still missing in the boat accident that occurred on Tuesday on the Niger River of the Jebba Dam at Gbajibo community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
He express worries that the families of the missing and the unrecovered victims of the boat accident are being traumatized by this tragic loss.
Gana said that mostly women and children were on board in the wooden vessel that capsized in Mokwa, locally made with a capacity of 100 passengers, but had about 300 people on board when it overturned in the rural Mokwa.
The motion reads: “Further notes that the boat which was conveying about 300 passengers going for a Maulud celebration from new Gbajibo in Kwara state to old Gbajibo in Niger state, consisting of youths from Kwara state, when it capsized at 8:30pm.
“Further concerned that this would be the second such major disaster in Niger in 18 months after more than 100 people were killed in another boat accident.
“Aware that through the joint efforts of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Niger State Ministry of Transport, the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, brave divers, and other community volunteers, a total of 16 bodies were recovered on Wednesday.
“Informed that the breakage of the boat was attributed to several violations, including overloading, the use of a substandard wooden boat lacking navigational aids, the absence of safety vests and night sailing;
Worried that most of the boat disasters in Nigeria in recent years increasingly point to regulatory failures and are often attributed to overloading, poorly maintained boat”.
The House observed a minute silence in honour of those that loss their lives in the boat accident.
The lawmakers unanimously adooted the motion and urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to give Humanitarian aide and Relief Materials to the bereaved families in Niger and Kwara States.
The House mandate its Committees on Inland Waterways and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation.